Elderly victim held in garage 'dungeon' dies

By Craig Hlavaty |
July 30, 2013
| Updated: July 30, 2013 10:48pm

An officer tapes off a home on Friday in north Houston where four men told police they were locked in and not allowed to leave.

Photo By Cody Duty/Staff

Neighbors gather to watch the police proceedings Friday at the group home on Whitecastle Lane. Some said they had not noticed anything out of the ordinary at the home.

Photo By Cody Duty/Staff

A policeman ties police tape at the scene where four individuals were held captive in the 8600 block of White Castle in Houston, Friday, July 19, 2013, in Houston. Police found four men held against their will in the home in deplorable conditions after they responded to a 911 call that brought police to the north Houston home described as a "dungeon". (Cody Duty / Houston Chronicle)

Photo By Cody Duty/Staff

A man is taken into custody in the involvement of holding individuals captive in the 8600 block of White Castle in Houston, Friday, July 19, 2013, in Houston. Police found four men held against their will in the home in deplorable conditions after they responded to a 911 call that brought police to a north Houston home described as a "dungeon". (Cody Duty / Houston Chronicle)

Photo By Cody Duty/Staff

A man is taken into custody in the involvement of holding individuals captive in the 8600 block of White Castle in Houston, Friday, July 19, 2013, in Houston. Police found four men held against their will in the home in deplorable conditions after they responded to a 911 call that brought police to a north Houston home described as a "dungeon". (Cody Duty / Houston Chronicle)

Photo By Cody Duty/Staff

Police investigate a scene where four individuals were held captive in the 8600 block of White Castle in Houston, Friday, July 19, 2013, in Houston. Police found four men held against their will in the home in deplorable conditions after they responded to a 911 call that brought police to a north Houston home described as a "dungeon". (Cody Duty / Houston Chronicle)

Photo By Cody Duty/Staff

A woman cooperates with police as they investigate a scene where four individuals were held captive in the 8600 block of White Castle in Houston, Friday, July 19, 2013, in Houston. Police found four men held against their will in the home in deplorable conditions after they responded to a 911 call that brought police to a north Houston home described as a "dungeon". (Cody Duty / Houston Chronicle)

Photo By Cody Duty/Staff

HPD spokesperson Jodi Silva answers questions regarding the involvement of a scene where four individuals were held captive in the 8600 block of White Castle in Houston, Friday, July 19, 2013, in Houston. Police found four men held against their will in the home in deplorable conditions after they responded to a 911 call that brought police to a north Houston home described as a "dungeon". (Cody Duty / Houston Chronicle)

Photo By Cody Duty/Staff

HPD spokesperson Jodi Silva answers questions regarding the involvement of a scene where four individuals were held captive in the 8600 block of White Castle in Houston, Friday, July 19, 2013, in Houston. Police found four men held against their will in the home in deplorable conditions after they responded to a 911 call that brought police to a north Houston home described as a "dungeon". (Cody Duty / Houston Chronicle)

Photo By Cody Duty/Houston Chronicle

HPD spokesperson Jodi Silva answers questions regarding the involvement of a scene where where four individuals were held captive in the 8600 block of White Castle in Houston, Friday, July 19, 2013, in Houston. Police found four men held against their will in the home in deplorable conditions after they responded to a 911 call that brought police to a north Houston home described as a "dungeon".

Photo By Cody Duty/Houston Chronicle

HPD spokesperson Jodi Silva answers questions regarding the involvement of a scene where four individuals were held captive in the 8600 block of White Castle in Houston, Friday, July 19, 2013, in Houston. Police found four men held against their will in the home in deplorable conditions after they responded to a 911 call that brought police to a north Houston home described as a "dungeon".

Photo By Cody Duty/Houston Chronicle

A man waits as police investigate a scene where four individuals were held captive in the 8600 block of White Castle in Houston, Friday, July 19, 2013, in Houston. Police found four men held against their will in the home in deplorable conditions after they responded to a 911 call that brought police to a north Houston home described as a "dungeon".

Photo By Cody Duty/Houston Chronicle

Police investigate a scene where four individuals were held captive in the 8600 block of White Castle in Houston, Friday, July 19, 2013, in Houston. Police found four men held against their will in the home in deplorable conditions after they responded to a 911 call that brought police to a north Houston home described as a "dungeon".

Photo By Cody Duty/Houston Chronicle

Police investigate a scene where four individuals were held captive in the 8600 block of White Castle in Houston, Friday, July 19, 2013, in Houston. Police found four men held against their will in the home in deplorable conditions after they responded to a 911 call that brought police to a north Houston home described as a "dungeon".

Photo By Cody Duty/Houston Chronicle

Police investigate a scene where four individuals were held captive in the 8600 block of White Castle in Houston, Friday, July 19, 2013, in Houston. Police found four men held against their will in the home in deplorable conditions after they responded to a 911 call that brought police to a north Houston home described as a "dungeon".

Photo By Cody Duty/Houston Chronicle

HPD spokesperson Jodi Silva answers questions regarding the involvement of a scene where four individuals were held captive in the 8600 block of White Castle in Houston, Friday, July 19, 2013, in Houston. Police found four men held against their will in the home in deplorable conditions after they responded to a 911 call that brought police to a north Houston home described as a "dungeon".

Photo By Cody Duty/Houston Chronicle

HPD spokesperson Jodi Silva answers questions regarding the involvement of a scene where four individuals were held captive in the 8600 block of White Castle in Houston, Friday, July 19, 2013, in Houston. Police found four men held against their will in the home in deplorable conditions after they responded to a 911 call that brought police to a north Houston home described as a "dungeon".

Photo By Houston Police Department

Walter Renard Jones, 31, is charged with injury to the elderly. He was arrested at a north Houston home where men said they were kept against their will.

One of three elderly men held in what was called a Houston garage "dungeon" has died, according to Houston police.

William Merle Greenawalt, 79, was the eldest of three malnourished men who were discovered on July 19 inside a stifling garage in the 8600 block of Whitecastle Lane.

He died on Thursday in Montgomery County. His cause of death would be determined by medical examiners in that county's forensic department. An official said late Tuesday the information was not immediately available.

The men were found in a renovated garage, which did not have a bathroom. They were not shackled or tied up, police said, but an elaborate series of locks kept them from getting out.

An HPD representative has said the men were in the garage for at least a year.

Walter Renard Jones has been charged with two counts of injury to the elderly — serious bodily injury in the 263rd State District Court.

Jones is the grandson of Regina Jones, who had been running a nonprofit out of the purple-trimmed, one-story brick home, the Associated Press reported. The aim of the nonprofit, Faith Ministries, was to feed and shelter the homeless.

In December 2008, the residence was registered to the nonprofit. In 2010, Texas revoked the group's nonprofit status because of tax reporting issues.

The three men alleged to have been misled by Jones into living at the home in exchange for food and shelter. Jones, the men said, had used force and coercion to keep them there for the purpose of monetary gain. The men told investigators their government benefit checks were being taken from them by Jones.

The two other men in the garage, Dean Cottingham, 59, and John Edward Padget, 64, were treated and released from LBJ General Hospital and are now in the care of Adult Protective Services.

It is not yet known if additional charges against Jones will be filed in light of Greenawalt's death.